Light Reborn
by silveran
Summary: (Vanguard Bandits) Five years has passed since the end of the Second Eptinan Wars. Peace has been restored and the Continent united...except for one country. Something stirs within the Southern Alliance when news of the birth of the Prince of Pharastia re
1. Prologue

****

Prologue

It's been five years since the end of the Second Eptinan Wars. Peace has reigned throughout the Continent since then. Emperor Duyere of the Junaris Empire has become a strong leader for his people after learning from his mistakes in the past. Duke Zeira of the Avalon Principality still ruled with a velvet glove and was appointed regent of the Muspel Nation by King Bastion since the only heir of the desert nation, Nana, was only seven at the untimely death of its current ruler, Duke Radcot. 

Marquis Dionne still ruled his small country of mercenaries. Though his warriors' services weren't needed since the war's end, they still continued to train alongside Duke Logan's soldiers. Marquis Dionne and Duke Logan spar once in a while to settle who is the best warrior. Their spars always ended in a tie, however. 

Lord Alden of the Duchy of Hibernia continues to watch the affairs of the Pharastia Kingdom but is not worried too much since he deemed Bastion to be a noble and honorable leader. The chess pieces have been reset and no one has made a move yet.

But someone is about to make the first move...

And that someone is the King of the Pharastia Kingdom, Bastion. 

Bastion has ruled his kingdom justly and honorably for the past five years. He was praised as the hero who had ended the Second Eptinan Wars. He had helped his people rebuild their once proud kingdom. 

Galvas was proud of Bastion just as Alugard, his deceased brother and Bastion's foster father, must have been when he was alive. His brother had taught the boy well and he was glad that he did. Bastion showed uncanny wisdom when in ruling.

The King had rebuilt the kingdom to its former glory as Galvas had dreamed that he would. The boundary between the Pharastia Kingdom and the Junaris Empire had been redrawn back to its original boundary. Emperor Duyere thought it was the least he could do for making up past mistakes. 

Bastion had worked hard two years after the war before he settled down in the Royal Capital. His Ultragunner ATAC was sealed once again but this time, it stands proudly in the courtyard of the capital. It would stand as a symbol of everlasting peace between the nations of the Continent.

Peace. 

A notion long since forgotten in the war has now been achieved. Peace wasn't attained by Bastion alone, however. The young King--Prince before--had the help of many friends; friends from all around the Continent.

There was Reyna, Ione, and Duke Zeira from the Avalon Principality; young Nana from the Muspel Nation; Marquis Dionne and Andrew from Dionne-Lehve; Lord Alden, Devlin, and Barlow from the Duchy of Hibernia; Claire from the Nordilain Forest; Galvas from the Pharastia Kingdom; Franco, Halak, and Sadira from the Junaris Empire; and his family: Puck, the young engineer; Milea, his 'spiritual' sister; and Kamorge...his father in spirit.

Bastion could not forget Kamorge, the one who had led him to fight for peace in the Continent. Though his real name was Alugard, Bastion will always see him as Kamorge and he would always see him as his father.

Soon after the war was ended, Bastion learned that Galvas was the brother of Alugard. He then understood why the Corps Commander was so adamant in his belief that he should return the Kingdom to its former glory. 

Kamorge--no--Alugard had sacrificed himself to protect the future King of the Kingdom.

After Bastion had avenged his foster father's death, the young Prince returned to the Kingdom and assume his birthright as its rightful ruler. He thought it was the least he could do to honor Alugard's life. 

And he had accomplished just that. His people were happy, his soldiers were happy; everyone was happy. He hoped that this happiness would last long for the nations were united once again. 

The twenty-year-old king stood on a balcony overlooking the courtyard below him, his long green hair tied in a ponytail swaying in the mid-morning breeze. Bastion had grown slightly taller since the war, his muscles slightly larger. Hair grew over his upper lip that would soon become a mustache. He already heard some of the veteran soldiers and Galvas say that he was becoming to look like the previous King. 

But he sure didn't dress the part. He wore only tunic, pants, and shoes; attire that any commoner would wear. But he had been raised as a commoner and had no taste in formal wear. 

Bastion stared at the Ultragunner ATAC, the sun shining brilliantly slightly above, basking the ATAC in its radiant glow. "Are you watching, Father?" he whispered meaning Kamorge. "I wish that you were still here but I know that you're proud of me." He then heard someone approaching and turned to see who it was.

And smiled when he saw that it was his wife.

"Good morning, Bastion!" Sadira cheerfully greeted as she joined Bastion at the balcony.

"Good morning!" Bastion returned in kind. He smiled as he placed an arm around Sadira's shoulders.

It has been about two years since his marriage to the Imperial Princess. Though many of his people resented his decision to marry the daughter of their former enemy, he knew he had made the right choice. As the Ultragunner was the symbol of peace for the Continent, his marriage was a symbol of unity between Pharastia and Junaris.

"Are you sure it's alright for you to be walking around like this?" Bastion asked worriedly after a moment's pause. "I mean, in your condition and all?"

Sadira sighed as she absently rubbed her belly, which was round with child. Only a month to go before the child will be born. Their child. 

"Don't you start," Sadira said tersely. "I've heard everyone say the same thing! Franco, Halak...even Duyere! And he isn't even here to see my progression!"

"I'm not surprised," Bastion replied then placed a hand on her belly. "But you do have to rest, if not for you then for the child's sake."

Sadira sighed again. "Oh, alright," she conceded. "But there's no harm in staying here with you for a while longer, is there? At least grant me some time to be with you before you leave to carry out your duties."

"Of course," Bastion said bringing Sadira closer into his embrace. Sadira, in turn, leaned her head against Bastion's chest as they both watch the citizens of the Royal Capital bustle with activity.

A month passed and the time of the birth came...

***

Franco thought he was going to be sick. 

The chief advisor stood at a far corner of the royal chamber as he watched Halak at work, trying to help Sadira deliver her child. Bastion was at his wife's side, holding her hand as he whispered soothing words to her. At times, the King would wince as Sadira gripped his hand like a vice. 

Seven hours had passed and still there was no sign of a child.

"I can't take this any longer!" Sadira gasped as she clutched Bastion's hand. "I'm ready to get this baby OUT!!!" 

Halak shook her head. "Ready, you are not," she said. "Patient, you must be."

"Says you!" the redheaded queen exclaimed angrily through clenched teeth.

The old woman just shrugged and said, "I tell the truth. Your baby comes many hours from now." She then turned to the squeamish chief advisor. "Franco!" she called. "Bring water and more towels!"

Franco nodded and quickly exited the chamber, glad to be doing something than to hear Sadira's pained cries. As he shut the door behind him, he let out a sigh. _I don't know how Bastion can be so calm in there_, he thought as he took a deep breath. _Now for the water and towels..._

As Franco headed off to retrieve the said items, a figure entered the hallway in front of the royal couple's chamber. Corps Commander Galvas watched as Franco marched away in the opposite direction from him. "Imperials," he grunted as he took position by the doors. 

He stood aloofly with his arms crossed over his chest. He wasn't quite fond of the idea of Imperials walking in the hallways of the Royal Capital. He deemed it to be an insult to the memory of the late King and to the memory of all those who had died during the attack.

He also wasn't fond of the marriage between Bastion and the Imperial Princess. He would rather had the young King marry Milea instead for the young girl was hard working and was willing to make Bastion proud of her. But Bastion only saw her as a sister, nothing more.

Galvas frowned as he remembered seeing Milea running through the palace halls, tears streaming down her cheeks. He knew that the girl was heartbroken when she found out that Bastion proposed to Sadira. He then tried to talk the young King out of the marriage but it was in vain. He could clearly see that both Bastion and Sadira love each other. After that incident, Milea was never seen again. She didn't attend the wedding or the reception. The young girl just completely vanished from sight. 

Her disappearing act reminded him of the time when she disappeared from the group after they found the Ultragunner. Hibernia was the first place that came to mind to look for the young girl since it was there that she had hid before. Unfortunately, Lord Alden had not seen Milea but promised to keep an eye out for her.

What made this unusual from her first disappearance was that her ATAC was missing as well. But it would make the search for her easier since the Amphisia ATAC was only built in Hibernia. It shouldn't be too hard to find her outside of the icy country.

They were wrong.

Bastion had sent out a battalion of his soldiers led by Galvas to search for Milea. He had blamed himself for her disappearance and was now worried for her. Lord Alden and Duke Zeira had sent out a battalion each from their armies to help Bastion search for Milea as well. But she was nowhere to be found. 

And after two years, she was still never seen. Bastion still prayed for her safety and Galvas still haven't given up hope of ever seeing the bright young girl again. 

Galvas Derid sighed as he tried to push the painful memories aside and focus on today. His King was going to be a father today. It should be a happy event but he still couldn't shake off his feeling of resentment. That feeling grew stronger when he caught sight of the Emperor of the Junaris Empire entering the hall.

Duyere was the first to be notified of the impending birth, being the brother of Sadira. The Emperor slowed as he neared Galvas and the doors then stopped when he was just a couple of feet away from the Corps Commander. He looked at Galvas and nod his head once, acknowledging the Corps Commander's presence. Galvas glared at him in return. 

Even after five years, there were still some tension between the Junaris Empire and the Pharastia Kingdom. 'Forgive and forget' was the policy Bastion preached to his people but some were not as forgiving as he is. Galvas Derid was one of those people. 

Duyere shifted nervously under Galvas' glare. He knew he had been a foolish Prince five years ago, but he had learned wisdom afterwards. His sister had helped him rebuild the Empire and taught him what it means to be a strong leader. Though they had their share of fights, they had grown closer after the war. He wouldn't admit it to anyone but he was proud of her.

__

Yes, he thought as he shifted his gaze towards the double doors. _I'm very proud of you, my sister. _A soft smile escaped his lips that quickly turned into a frown of concern when he heard some screaming coming from within the room. _I hope she's alright._ The sound of footsteps approaching diverted his attention.

Franco noticed two figures standing by the doors as he returned with the bowl of water and the towels Halak had requested. Upon closer inspection, he smiled as he recognized the two men. "Commander Galvas! Emperor Duyere! I bid you welcome!" he greeted them then looked at Galvas. "I thought you had some business to attend to, Commander," he said.

"I wanted to check on His Majesty," Galvas returned gruffly.

Franco nodded. "I assure you, he's fine," he replied. "I will send for you when the child arrives." Galvas grunted an assent before leaving the two 'Imperials'. 

Franco watched the Commander leave before turning back his attention to the Emperor. "You are here earlier than expected, Emperor Duyere," the chief advisor stated. "I had thought you would come _after_ the child was born."

"And I would have," Duyere nodded, "but I was...worried about Sadira." He then shrugged and smiled faintly. "As her big brother, I guess I worry too much."

"That's what big brothers do," Franco agreed then remembered the items he was carrying. "If you'll excuse me, Your Highness, I must bring these items to Halak. If you would like, I could bring a chair out here for you to sit while you wait."

Duyere shook his head. "No, that's alright, Franco," he said. "I appreciate the gesture but I prefer to stand."

"Are you sure?" the chief advisor asked worriedly. "It's been seven hours since Sadira had gone into labor and there's still no sign of a baby. It may take many more hours before the baby is born."

"I see," Duyere said calmly then shook his head. "It's fine, Franco. Sitting would only make me more anxious."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Franco ducked his head then entered the royal chamber to bring Halak her requested items.

***

Emperor Duyere had stood by the doors, occasionally wincing when he heard the usual screams. As the day progressed, however, the Emperor began to pace in the hall. During midday, Franco had joined the Emperor and they ate lunch together. But afterwards, the pacing resumed again.

Now it was twilight. The Emperor stood in front of one of the many large windows that lined the hall, watching the sun set on the horizon. It's been nearly seven hours since he arrived and yet, there was still no news about the baby's birth. But then, as the sun nearly completed its journey below the horizon...

A baby's cry broke through the stillness.

Duyere dismissed the spectacular view of the sunset as he turned around and headed towards the double doors. As he approached, someone exited the room.

"I see that you've heard," Franco stated with a smile as he saw the approaching Emperor.

"Yes," the Emperor nodded. "May I go in?"

Franco nodded. "After Halak has finished cleaning up. Now I must find Galvas and tell him the good news. Congratulations, Your Majesty! You're an uncle!" With that said, the chief advisor went to find the Corps Commander.

Duyere watched him leave then turned his attention to the doors. _Come on, you old hag!_, he thought impatiently. He was eager to see his-- Niece? Or nephew? In his eagerness for news, he forgot to ask Franco the most important question: Was it a boy or a girl?

Duyere was mentally berating himself for being an idiot when finally, Halak left the chamber. The old woman looked haggard but there was a huge grin on her face. "Halak!" Duyere cried as he approached the old hag. "Is it a boy or a girl?" he asked.

"A boy!" Halak exclaimed as she patted the Emperor's shoulder. "A healthy boy!" 

"A nephew..." Duyere murmured. "So, I have a nephew then!"

Halak nodded as she patted Duyere's shoulder one more time before taking her leave. Duyere took that as a sign to enter the room. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath as he pushed the huge door and entered quietly.

***

Bastion looked down fondly at his son as he slept peacefully in his mother's arms. 

The newborn Prince had strands of red hair just like his mother but Bastion hoped that he had not inherited her temperament. It was enough that he had to deal with Sadira's temper tantrums at times but it would be worse if his son had those same tempers. 

"Isn't he adorable?" Sadira asked softly as she slowly rocked the baby.

"Yes," Bastion agreed as he gently touched his son's face. The baby reacted by making a small sound as he shifted position. "How do you feel?" the King asked his wife.

"A bit tired," the Queen replied weakly, "but happy."

Bastion nodded then turned when he heard someone enter the room. He saw that it was his brother-in-law.

Duyere approached the couple slowly. "Congratulations, sister, brother-in-law," he greeted as he reached the foot of the bed. 

"Thank you, Duyere," Bastion smiled then motioned the Emperor closer as he said, "Why don't you come and take a look at your nephew?"

Duyere nodded with a grin of his own as he approached closer. "He's sleeping," Sadira commented as her brother came closer. 

The Emperor nodded then looked at the newborn in wonderment. His nephew looked so small, yet precious. It made him think of his own plans of starting a family. But most importantly, of having an heir. Some of the council members were pressing him of having an heir. 

Surprisingly, the Emperor was not married yet. And he was in his mid-twenties. He would have to find a wife soon. But he did not want to marry just any girl. He saw the love between his sister and Bastion and wished to experience the same kind of love. He would wait even if it would take him fifty years. As these thoughts crossed his mind, he hadn't noticed the entrance of two more visitors.

Franco and Galvas entered the royal chamber and immediately went to the royal couple's side. Franco went to stand by the Emperor while Galvas went by Bastion without first looking at the child. The Corps Commander frowned a bit when he saw the mop of red hair. _Imperials!_, he thought disgustedly. _I hope he doesn't grow up to look like the late Emperor!_

"Galvas, what's with the frown?" Bastion asked when he noticed the Commander's foul mood.

Galvas turned a bit red from embarrassment at that comment. "Nothing," he replied. "Just thinking about some business. So, have you decided a name for the young Prince?"

And so the news was spread among the Continent about the birth of the Prince of the Pharastia Kingdom...

...Alugard. 

***

Down in the Southern Alliance, the only "nation" that had not taken part in the Second Eptinan Wars and the only "nation" that was not part of the unity of the Continent, all the cities have received the news. But it wasn't very important to them since they could not profit anything from it. They only cared about one thing...

Money.

But there were some that desired more.

Power.

There was no one ruler for the Southern Alliance. After the ruling dukedom had collapsed, anarchy reigned. The six territorial governors that remained after the collapse used their resources to build, strengthen, and expand their own states. They fought ferociously with one another, hoping to establish themselves as the new ruling government of the Southern Alliance.

The leader of the Muspel Nation during the Period of the Warring Alliance, as it was called, saw an opportunity to attack the Southern Alliance and claim it for himself. Duke Radcot was an ambitious man. Not only did he attack the Southern Alliance, he also attacked the Avalon Principality.

After Muspel's first attack on their borders, the governors of the Southern Alliance agreed to a truce until the threat was taken care of. So, with that truce in place, each governor sent resources and manpower to protect against these Muspel attacks. 

The Southern Alliance continued to protect their borders against Muspel while the rest of the Continent had their own struggle. Only when the Continent's struggle ended did the attacks from Muspel also cease. But the governors did not recall their troops back...yet. 

Having been at war with one another and then at war with another nation, the governors had grown cautious. Only when a year passed without incident did the governors recalled their troops back into their respective provinces.

As soon as the troops were back home, some would think that the war they had pushed aside in the face of a larger threat would resume but surprisingly, it hadn't. Perhaps some were tired of the fighting but there are still others that dreamed of power. 

Yukio Toryu was one of these people.

He was the leader of the province called Ryuzoku, a province of ninjas. Ryuzoku was a mountainous and wild region, a perfect place for the people to practice their deadly art of ninjutsu. In the midst of this province stood a marvelous castle with black rooftops and white walls, the capital of Ryuzoku and the place where Yukio Toryu resided. 

Yukio Toryu was a very slim man with hawkish features. His expression was blank but his dark brown eyes glinted dangerously as he smirked, his white teeth slightly showing. He had an angular face framed with short black hair, smoothed back, and ending in a small ponytail. 

He wore a black jacket, the sleeves ripped off, exposing toned arms that rippled as he squeezed his hand slightly. His forearms were wrapped in black leather. Somewhat loose matching trousers held by a silk black sash went with his attire. The _waraji_, the common footwear in this part of the Alliance, covered his feet, the straps wrapped around his calves and tied together to hold it in place. The _waraji_ is made of tightly woven straw or fiber that made traction on slippery surfaces excellent. 

"So the Pharastia Kingdom have a new prince," the man muttered as he stood in front of a huge window of his large castle, watching his soldiers perform a kata in unison down in the courtyard. He read the letter that bore the news of the birth of the prince in his hand for the third time. "How can I use this to my advantage?"

"Perhaps the prisoners will give suggestions, Toryu-sama," someone suggested from the shadows of his room. "All they talk about is having revenge against the Kingdom or some other nation."

"Perhaps," Yukio allowed. "Perhaps."

***

Lord Alden gazed out the window of his room, watching the snow gently fall to the ground. But if he could see pass the snow and the mountains and forests of Hibernia, he would be able to see Pharastia. 

The birth of Prince Alugard troubled him somehow, as if the prince's name carried trouble. He understood why Bastion had named him after his father. The young King had wished to honor him. And he had no objection to that but still...

"You seem troubled, Lord Alden."

The Ice Wolf would have been caught by surprise if it had been someone else that had spoken but knew the voice belonged to Melior. He was used to her sudden appearances. He continued to gaze out the window as Melior walked towards him and stood quietly behind.

"Does it have something to do with Prince Alugard's birth?" Melior asked softly after a long moment of silence.

Lord Alden nodded his head. "Yes. I have a feeling that trouble is brewing with the birth of the Prince. But like a chess game, the trouble won't manifest itself until later."

"You think that there will be another war?" Melior asked hesitantly. She, herself, was tired of the fighting, the killing. She just wanted to live in peace and they had been living in peace for the past five years. Would that peace be shattered again by war?

"I don't know," Lord Alden replied to Melior's question. "I pray that there won't be another war. We lost a lot of people in the Second Eptinan Wars and we're still recovering from that. I hope no more blood will be shed. That is my wish." Melior nodded and they both stared at the falling snow.

Down on the table to Lord Alden's right was a chess game board and a letter. On the game board, a white pawn had been moved two spaces forward.

The first move has been made... 


	2. Unexpected Guests

****

Chapter One: Unexpected Guests 

The sun shone bright high above the Royal Capital of the Kingdom. High cirrus clouds stretched languidly across the sky rarely casting a shadow below. Some birds were perched on the shoulders of the sleeping Ultragunner and when they flew away, it looked as if the Royal ATAC watched them. But the Ultragunner wasn't the only ATAC on watch.

Two Barazaph ATACs guarded the gate to the Royal Capital while several Haizurons were stationed around the palace. Galvas would at times join his men in his Serata ATAC to keep their morale high and to also escape the palace from time to time. 

But now the Corps Commander was in a spacious garden in one part of the palace. The garden was surrounded by tall walls that were covered with vines seeking to escape their confinement. Tall trees filled with birdsong stood at the four corners while small shrubs sprouted in random places. The garden would have been beautiful if it weren't for the walls. The center of the garden, though, was clear as an Avalon plain. 

And in the center stood Galvas and Bastion. 

"You grow soft with this fine living," Galvas chided as he swung his wooden sword towards Bastion's open side. "You leave yourself wide open!" He tapped the practice sword against Bastion's ribs.

The King winced in defeat. If it were an ATAC battle, he would have taken a large amount of damage which may have rendered his ATAC useless. He hated to admit it but his skills were waning. And the sparring matches with Duke Logan weren't helping any. 

"Again!" Galvas exclaimed as he went into a fighting stance. "Your performance is lacking, Your Highness, and your next sparring session with Duke Logan is coming up very soon. I heard that your last sparring match only lasted for one minute! Forgive me for saying this but that is PATHETIC! Now I know you're capable of more than that! Show me what my brother taught you!"

Bastion clenched his teeth as he, too, went into a fighting stance. He once thought Alugard a taskmaster but compared to his brother, he was a lenient teacher. Galvas was the taskmaster and that was probably due to being the older brother of Alugard. But Bastion appreciated the old man's efforts in helping him hone his skills once again. The training was a bit harsher but it would ensure that the King would be ready for his next sparring match with Duke Logan.

With a piercing yell, Bastion charged at the old man with his practice sword raised high. With both hands, he swung the weapon towards Galvas' head.

The Corps Commander stepped aside as the sword came down, his own moving to cut into Bastion's exposed backside as the King's momentum moved him forward. Bastion saw this and barely had time to jump out of the way as he felt Galvas' sword slice through the air. 

"Very good!" Galvas complimented with a smile. "Let's see how you handle this!" Now it was Galvas' turn to charge. 

Bastion waited patiently with his sword raised in defense. Alugard had advised to always clear the mind of emotions. It is with a clear mind that allows good judgment in battle. He took note of Galvas' attack posture, saw that he was positioned for a Tackle attack. Bastion tensed his legs as he prepared to jump out of the way.

Galvas gave a loud battle cry as he was about to tackle the King. Bastion moved out of the way just as Galvas predicted and blocked the King's swing as he had predicted as well. The Corps Commander gave the King a knowing grin before they fully engaged in their duel. Both traded sword blow for sword blow, swinging away until Galvas lost his grip on his sword.

The sword twirled through the air and landed in a nearby brush. Galvas stood dumbfounded as a grinning Bastion held the point of his wooden sword against the Corps Commander's neck. 

"I guess I haven't lost all my skills," Bastion smiled as he lowered his sword. 

"I guess not," Galvas returned with a grin of his own. He then went to fetch his practice sword from the shrub. "We're done for the day," he told the King when he returned. "A hot bath seems to be in order. Care to join me, Your Highness?"

Bastion nodded. "It would be best to wash this sweat off of me before attending to other matters," he agreed.

"Then let's go!" Galvas exclaimed. He slapped the King's back in a friendly fashion as they exited the garden.

*** 

Sadira sang a soft tune as she walked around in their bedroom rocking little Alugard to sleep. 

Sunlight filtered into the royal chamber from the open windows that lined along one side of the room, letting in the gentle breezes that ruffled the white curtains that surrounded them.

A four post bed stood against one wall with a small crib at its foot. There was a glass door next to the windows that led to a balcony outside overlooking the courtyard. In the corner of the room was a round table with a vase full of flowers, their scent wafting through the room. 

"Embrace light, choose the path of just nobility," Sadira sang in her beautiful soprano voice. Alugard yawned as he snuggled deep into his mother's arms. He closed his bright blue eyes and slept.

"Past the dark, there's a future bright and new," Sadira continued to sing softly as she gently placed her son down into his cradle, "if you just choose to see it." She tucked Alugard in and kissed him gently on the forehead. She then turned when she heard soft applauding coming from the doorway.

Bastion smiled as he entered the room. He was freshly groomed, his hair still wet from his bath, his face clean shaven except for his mustache. He wore a purple tunic with white pants and brown shoes. "I could not help but admire your beautiful voice, sweet Sadira," he said as he crossed the room and took his wife in his arms. 

Sadira welcomed her husband into her arms and they both shared a soft kiss before they slightly pulled apart. "Well, thank you, Bastion," Sadira said gratefully. "Maybe I'll sing for you some time."

Bastion knelt down by the cradle and gently kissed his son on the forehead. He then stood up and faced Sadira. "You shouldn't sing to just me and Alugard," he said. "You should sing to others as well. You have a beautiful voice, Sadira, and it's a waste if you don't share it."

"Y-you think so?" Sadira asked uncertainly.

Bastion placed both his hands on Sadira's shoulders and said, "I know so." Then his face lit up as an idea formed in his head. "I know!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Why don't you perform at our son's first year birthday party? It's a week from now... Plenty of time for you to practice!"

"A-are you serious?!" Sadira stammered in shock. "In front of all our visitors?!"

Bastion shrugged. "I see no problem with it. You have a natural talent for singing. You shouldn't be ashamed of it." He then gave Sadira a quick peck on the cheek before turning to leave.

"B-but--" the Queen protested as she chased after the King.

Bastion ignored Sadira as he exited the room to attend to some business. 

Sadira followed after him and looked down the hall to see his retreating form. "Bastion!" she shouted. 

And wished she hadn't done that as Alugard's wailing broke through the afternoon air. Sadira sighed as she returned to the room but then smiled faintly. "Maybe I'll practice after all."

***

Yukio sat in a dark room illuminated only by two torches. His legs were folded beneath and his hands were on his thighs, his elbows held back and his back and shoulders straight. His head was slightly lowered, his chin almost touching his chest as he breathed in through his nose and out through the mouth. His eyes were closed in meditation. 

But those eyes suddenly snapped open when he heard a faint knock on the door. "What is it?" he demanded.

The door slid partway revealing a middle-aged man dressed in ninja garb. The man was seated like Yukio. "Forgive me, Toryu-sama," the man addressed Yukio as he bowed, his forehead almost touching the floor. "A letter has arrived from the Pharastia Kingdom."

"Nani?!" Yukio exclaimed as he quickly stood up. "Bring it here quickly!"

"H-hai!" the man exclaimed as he stood up as well and quickly ran over to Yukio to hand him the letter.

Yukio snatched it from the man's hands and quickly read over the contents of the letter. A ferocious smile graced his lips when he finished reading it. "Are the prisoners ready?" he asked the man.

"Hai!" the man replied as he bowed. "Will you take all three with you, Toryu-sama?"

Yukio nodded. "Hai. Get them prepared. It's time we attend a party."

"Hai!" the man replied again as he bowed low and quickly exited the room.

Yukio again looked at the letter. He had waited for an opportunity to strike at the Kingdom and this seemed to be the most opportune time. He then thought of the prisoners. Two of them, male, sought revenge; one against the Kingdom and the other against the Empire. 

But the third, the only female, seemed to seek revenge of a different sort. Yukio found her intriguing. His scouts had found her wandering around the forests in a bright-colored ATAC. She had resisted when they had tried to capture her, resulting in a few losses. The girl had a fiery fighting spirit and when she was finally captured, she became withdrawn...

Until Yukio ordered some of his ninjas to start training her. She took up the training with zeal as she excelled in the deadly art. Yukio was very pleased with the girl. The training a ninja normally completed in sixteen years, she had completed in only two. It was a feat worth of respect. 

And now he would have to figure out the girl's source of anger. She rarely spoke of her past and the other two prisoners knew her as the friend of the King of the Pharastia Kingdom. But that is all they knew. They didn't even know her name. 

Yukio had a lot to learn about the girl. "Perhaps her history will be revealed once we enter the Royal Capital of the Pharastia Kingdom," he mused as he rolled the invitation and exited the room.

***

"Don't you look cute this evening!" Sadira exclaimed as she held her son up and smiled at him.

Prince Alugard clapped his chubby little hands as he squealed in glee. The Prince wore a white miniature formal suit and his head full of red hair was brushed back, like a true Prince. 

Today was a very special occasion. It was Prince Alugard's first birthday and Bastion had invited the leaders of the various countries to celebrate. Sadira thought that he was going a bit overboard in the celebration but he said that it'll strengthen their unity together.

"I suppose he's right," Sadira sighed then noticed her son staring curiously at her. She smiled at him and said, "Why don't we go meet your father?" Alugard giggled his agreement. 

"Don't bother," a deep voice said from the doorway. Alugard giggled as he struggled in his mother's arms to take a look at the stranger. 

"He seems very happy to see you," Sadira commented as she turned to face her husband.

Bastion stood at the doorway wearing his usual smile. The King wore a white long-sleeved shirt and white pants with his sword belt buckled in the middle complete with sword and scabbard hanging to his side. An orange sleeveless coat went over his simple attire followed by brown shoes. Nothing too fancy for he was a simple man.

"And I'm very glad to see him, too!" Bastion exclaimed as he approached his wife and his son. Alugard laughed and extended his chubby little arms towards his father. "You want me to carry you?" Bastion asked his son innocently as he happily took Alugard in his arms. 

Bastion swung his son around in the air. Alugard responded in kind by yelping in delight, his mouth open in a wide smile. "So, you want to be a bird, huh?" the King laughed as he swung his son around one more time before bringing his flight to a stop. 

Alugard was still giggling as Bastion kissed him on the head. The King then handed him back to Sadira. As soon as Alugard was back in the Queen's arms, the young Prince started to cry. "Hungry already?" Sadira questioned uncertainly. "Here Bastion," she said as she handed Alugard back to him, "hold him while I prepare his bottle."

"Alright, Sadira," Bastion replied as he took his son back into his arms. Alugard suddenly stopped crying and started to babble while hugging his father's shirt. 

Sadira noticed this. "Well, I guess he isn't hungry after all," she smiled. "He just wanted you to carry him."

"I don't mind though I wish I could understand what he's saying," Bastion said as he tickled his son. "Aren't babies suppose to start talking around this age?"

Sadira gave Bastion a playful slap on the shoulder. "Don't rush him," she said. "He'll talk in his own time." Bastion sighed then heard a knock on the door. 

Franco slowly entered the room and smiled at the small scene. But then he remembered why he had entered. "Your Highnesses," he greeted with a bow. 

"What is it, Franco?" Sadira asked as she acknowledged the chief advisor's presence.

"Your guests have begun to arrive," Franco replied. "Should I usher them to the main hall? Or will you be there to greet them personally?"

"I had planned to greet our guests in person," Bastion answered. He then was about to hand Alugard back to Sadira but she held her hands back.

"No way, Bastion," she said calmly. "I don't want him to start wailing again and neither do you. He's happy with you. Let him stay in your arms."

Bastion sighed again then smiled. "You can help me greet the guests, right, Alugard?" he said in a slightly high-pitched voice to his son. 

"Bab-bab!" was all Alugard could say as he kicked his feet and smiled. 

"I'll take that as a yes," the King grinned. 

"I may as well go myself," Sadira stated. "You'll never know when Alugard will start crying again."

Bastion chuckled. "I was hoping you would come with me, Sadira. It'll be hard greeting guests with this bundle in my arms."

Now it was Franco's turn to chuckle. "Indeed. They'll crowd all over you just to take a glimpse at the young Prince." He then went over to the door. "You two should get going. You don't want to keep your guests waiting."

The chief advisor then left the room followed by Bastion carrying a giggling Alugard and lastly by Sadira.

***

Duke Logan of Nordilain Forest accompanied by his daughter, Claire, and her just recently announced fiance, Shion, were the first to arrive at the Royal Capital. 

"Welcome, Duke Logan!" Bastion greeted and would have shook the warrior's hand if his hands weren't full already.

The group stood outside the audience hall, where the party would be held. The huge doors to the hall were opened, inviting the visitors to enter. Soft music could be heard and the scent of the main course wafted through the air, as if it called on the visitors. But the rule of common courtesy called for Duke Logan to return the King's greeting and express gratitude for being an honorable guest. 

"Hello, King Bastion and Queen Sadira," Duke Logan returned. "Thank you for inviting us to your small party."

"Like, hi, Sadira," Claire greeted her friend.

"Hello, Claire," Sadira responded in kind.

Alugard then decided to also make his presence known. "Ab-ab!" he jabbered with a grin, showing his front teeth that had recently grown. 

"Well, it seems that Alugard is also happy to see you, Duke Logan!" Bastion exclaimed and Alugard responded his agreement by saying, "Ab-ab!"

Duke Logan gave a hearty chuckle. "Well, I'm glad to see him as well!" Logan stated cheerfully as he began to make comical faces in front of the Prince. Alugard squealed in delight at the silly man with the large sideburns. 

Claire rolled her eyes. "Okay, Daddy, like, let's go sit and stuff!" she declared as she took her father's arm and dragged him towards the audience hall to find their table. 

"But, Claire...!" Logan protested with a pouty face as he tried to match his daughter's stride.

Bastion and Sadira watched the pair march away then turned back to see Shion handing a wrapped gift to the Queen. "A gift for the young Prince," he explained in a mild voice. He then went to join his group.

Sadira looked at the wrapped box curiously, turning it this way and that way. "I wonder what it is?" she muttered.

"We'll find out at the end of the party," Bastion said as he tried to calm an excited Alugard. 

"You're right," Sadira agreed. "Here, Franco," she said as she handed the gift to the chief advisor who was standing to the side. "You can place this with the rest of the gifts."

"As you wish, Your Highness," Franco obliged as he took the wrapped box and left to place it among the others in the royal chamber.

Next to arrive was Emperor Duyere and his wife, Empress Arlene, and his grandmother, Halak. The Emperor was only recently married and was very happy.

Bastion and Sadira were happy for Duyere to have found a caring wife. Sadira had told her brother that she had almost given up hope for him but was now happy to finally have a sister-in-law.

Arlene was a stunning woman with medium-length hair that shone like the sun and eyes that seem to mirror the sky on a cloudless day. Bastion and Sadira had wondered where Duyere had met her, seeing that she was no ordinary woman. But that question was best kept for another day. 

Bastion greeted his brother-in-law, new sister-in-law, and Halak with a smile. Duyere, Arlene, and Halak returned his greeting in kind. Arlene then gave Sadira Alugard's gift while Duyere momentarily carried his nephew, who seem to not mind at all as he giggled. The Emperor then handed him back to Bastion before he and Arlene went to join the other guests. Halak, however, stayed behind and joined Franco to the side and caught up on news like old times. 

And so, that's how it went for most of the evening as the sun set towards the west. Lord Alden and his entourage consisting of Melior, Devlin, and Barlow arrived about an hour after Emperor Duyere. Duke Zeira, Reyna, Ione, and Nana came about a half hour after Lord Alden's group. It was the Duke's group, however, that elicited a surprising reaction from Alugard.

"Hey, Bastion!" Reyna greeted the King.

As soon as Alugard heard her voice, he began to cry as loud as his small lungs could allow. "What's wrong?" Bastion asked panicking. He tried to calm his son as he made funny faces, tickled him, and rocked him. But none of those methods seem to pacify the boy. "Sadira, I can't seem to make him stop crying," Bastion said as he handed Alugard to her.

"Maybe he's just hungry," Sadira suggested as she took Alugard in her arms and tried feeding him a bottle. But Alugard just pushed the bottle away as he continued to wail. "Why can't you stop crying?" Sadira asked him softly as she began to rock him. 

But the young Prince continued to cry.

His crying was now attracting the other guests' attention, embarrassing both parents. "Shh, shh..." the Queen said soothingly as she patted his back but that didn't seem to work either.

"Maybe I could help," Reyna offered her assistance. 

"Any help would be greatly appreciated," Sadira agreed as she handed Alugard to Reyna.

Surprisingly enough, Alugard stopped crying as Reyna held him. The young woman smiled in triumph and said, "See? I tell you this kid loves me!"

Suddenly, Alugard started crying again louder than before, which made the others cringe at the sound. Reyna thought she had suddenly gone deaf. 

"The Prince loves you alright," Ione said sarcastically, wincing at the crying baby. "I think you should leave him with the parents while we all take a seat with the others. Hopefully, that'll stop Alugard from crying."

"What did I do wrong?" Reyna complained as Bastion took Alugard back into his arms. 

"I don't know, but whatever it was, the Prince doesn't like you for it," Ione replied as she pushed her friend towards the hall. Duke Zeira shrugged apologetically to the royal couple before following the two women. Nana stared at the couple thoughtfully as she followed the Duke from behind.

As soon as the group left, Alugard seemed to calm down. Bastion and Sadira breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought he would never stop crying!" the King exclaimed as he looked down at his winded son.

The Prince yawned as his eyes drooped. He snuggled deep into his father's arms before falling asleep. "I guess all that crying made him tired," Bastion whispered as he rocked his son. 

Sadira sighed as she said, "The party was just getting started. It couldn't be helped anyway. I wonder why he dislikes Reyna though." 

"Me, too," Bastion nodded. 

As soon as the conversation ended, Marquis Dionne and Andrew made their presence known and the royal couple were happy to see the last of their guests arrive.

***

Four ATACs marched through Kingdom territory as the sun finally vanished below the horizon. Many stars dotted the sky and the moon was only a slender crescent that gave very little light. But despite the lack of light, the ATACs moved with ease through the brush like shadow wraiths. 

After a few hours of trekking through the dark, the ATACs were in sight of their destination: the Royal Capital. 

One of the ATACs raised a hand motioning for the group to stop. The ATACs halted and waited for further instructions.

The ATAC that raised its hand--the recognized leader of the group--turned to look at one of the ATACs. "You know what to do," the pilot uttered.

The ATAC nodded in reply before disappearing among the surrounding trees. 

The leader ATAC then turned to the two remaining ATACs in his group. "Come. We are already late as it is." The group of three ATACs marched on towards the Royal Capital.

The two Barazaphs guarding the gate to the Royal Capital picked up the approaching ATACs on their scanners. They immediately went on guard, puzzled by the sight of ATACs marching through the night. 

"Who do you suppose they could be?" a pilot asked his fellow comrade.

"I don't know," the other replied as his ATAC shrugged. "Perhaps they could be guests for the Prince's birthday party."

"Maybe," the first pilot allowed. "We'll need to confirm that by checking their invitation."

The other nodded and the conversation came to an end as the three ATACs approached. It was quite difficult to fully identify what type of ATACs stood at the gate since they weren't within range of the two blazing torches burning at both sides of the gate but both sentries knew that they were quite different than those they had seen during the war. But that didn't stop them from doing their duty.

"Halt!" one of the guards called to the three. "What brings you to the Royal Capital?"

One of the mysterious ATACs stepped forward and replied, "We were invited by the King to celebrate his son's first birthday."

It seemed that the guards' presumption were correct. The guard who had addressed the ATACs looked back at his companion who nodded. The guard then turned back to the visitors and said, "Deactivate your ATACs and show me your invitation at once!" 

The visitors seemed to obey as both guards watched their ATACs deactivate. The sentry then deactivated his own ATAC as his comrade stood watch, his sword held ready. The guard then climbed out of his ATAC and awaited his guest on the ground.

The guest nimbly jumped down from his ATAC, which startled the guard somewhat. "Sorry for startling you," the stranger apologized to the guard as he bowed slightly.

The sentry collected what dignity he had left and took a moment to study the stranger. It was easier to study the stranger up close than their mysterious ATACs. The torchlight flickered on a face that looked like a hawk with slightly slanted black eyes, a slightly pointed nose, and high cheekbones. His hair was brushed back and, from what the guard could guess, tied into a ponytail. 

The clothing the stranger wore was completely foreign to the guard. The man wore pleated pants that seemed far too large and an equally large jacket held close with a braided cord tied in a decorative knot. His footwear was as equally foreign as his clothing. The stranger wore white socks but instead of shoes, he wore sandals with a v-shape thong which came between the big toe and the rest of his foot.

Lastly, the sentry noted that the stranger was armed with a slender sword hanging from his side. 

The stranger watched the guard study him while he studied the guard himself for future reference. He wore the orange uniform of a soldier of the Kingdom and the way the sentry performed suggested that he was newly enlisted. 

The guard then held out his hand. "Your invitation, sir," he requested. 

The stranger pulled out a rolled up parchment from his jacket and handed it to the guard, who opened it and read it over quickly. His eyes grew wide seeing that the invitation was genuine. "I welcome you to the Royal Capital, honorable guest," the guard declared as he handed back the invitation and bowed. "Please, allow me to escort you to the Royal Hangar."

The guard then climbed back into his ATAC and the stranger followed suit. The guard then exchanged a few words with his fellow companion while their guests waited.

"So, they were invited to the party," the second guard mused. "Okay, lead them to the Royal Hangar while I stand watch. But you'd better return."

"Of course, I will," the first guard said. "I may be new but I'm not stupid." He then turned to the three ATACs. "Please follow me," he instructed them.

As the three ATACs approached the gate and within the torches' light, the second guard took note of their ATACs. Two of them seem somewhat similar to the Vedocorban but deadlier. The ATAC that led them, however, was quite extraordinary.

The second guard thought that the Roaring Lion and the Crimson were the scariest ATACs to set eyes on because of their incredible strength, but now those two seemed friendlier than the ATAC he watched pass by. 

It was almost similar to Galvas' Serata except for the fact that it bore spikes along its forearms, knuckles, shoulders, and shins. It also wore a long flowing cape, which was unusual for an ATAC to wear. The second guard thought it made the ATAC look more sinister.

At least they came as friends and not foes for he didn't want to engage that ATAC in combat. 

***

The guard got out of his ATAC and waited for his guests to park their ATACs. Like the second guard, he had taken note of his guests' ATACs. And like the second guard, he was thankful that they came as friends. He then watched as his guests approached him.

He had already met their presumed leader but he took note of his companions. 

One was a clean shaven old man wearing the same clothing as the stranger. He was holding a square pot that held a miniature tree. The guard presumed it to be a gift for the Prince though he didn't see the usefulness of it. Who gives trees as gifts anyway?

The second companion was a young woman with black hair tied into a bun. She wore a colorful robe with flowing sleeves that hung almost to her ankles. A very thick sash was tied around her waist into a ribbon at her back. Though her attire was bright, her expression was not. Her dark brown eyes seemed lifeless and yet, he saw something flickering within them, like a dying fire trying to spurt back into life. Her mouth was a thin line, neither smiling nor frowning. It unnerved the guard somewhat.

He then brought his attention back to the man he had met at the gate. "Come," he said. "I will lead you to the main part of the castle. Then I will tell you where to go after."

"Fine," the man agreed.

The guard nodded and led the group through the twisting catwalks of the hangar. As the group strode along, the stranger took note of the many ATACs present. He recognized most of them as being the excavated ATACs but he took special attention of one particular ATAC. 

It was the same ATAC that the girl had piloted. He looked at his female companion to see any reaction but found none. _The girl hides her emotions well_, he mused silently. 

The stranger then addressed the guard. "That ATAC," he said pointing to the one that had caught his interest, "who does it belong to?"

The guard turned to look. "Oh! That's the Amphisia ATAC piloted by Melior, a close friend of Lord Alden, leader of the Duchy of Hibernia."

"I see," was all the stranger could say. 

The guard continued to lead the visitors until they approached the end of the hangar where the catwalk turned into a bridge of stone. Two very notable ATACs also stood at the end of the hangar: the Queen's Sylpheed and the King's Alba. 

The guard paused briefly to admire the two ATACs. "Beautiful," he heard the stranger mutter and he nodded in agreement before resuming his position as guide. 

They passed the bridge going between the two ATACs then turned left. They could see a door ahead of them When they reached the wooden portal, the guard opened it and motioned for his visitors to go through. He followed shortly after them.

The group now stood in a large hallway with huge windows lining one side of the hall. "Keep going down this hall," the guard instructed them. "You will eventually reach the audience hall where the party is being held." The guard then bowed. "I must return to my post," he said. "Good evening to you all." The guard bowed one more time before leaving the group. 

"We must be on our way," the group leader stated and his companions nodded. 

The guest led the way down the hall flanked by his two companions. As they traveled the sparsely lit hallway, the stranger took note of the side passages and the guards that stood at certain points in the hallway. He then noticed one of his companions acting strange.

The old man's eyes darted back and forth like a cornered rabbit seeking escape. His hands shook the potted plant he held, small amount of dirt spraying forth. The man quickly took the plant from the old man before it became ruined. "Calm down!" he whispered harshly to his subordinate. "None will recognize you here. Remember that ninja are master of disguises and we disguised you well. Just don't talk. They may recognize your voice. Now here," he handed the pot back to the old man. "Be careful with it this time!"

The old man nodded meekly as he took back the plant. His master was right. They had disguised him well. It was only his voice that would give his identity away. He then smirked at the thought of walking through his enemies' palace unnoticed. He then sighed in relief and tried to enjoy what scenery the palace offered.

After a few minutes of walking through the hallway, the group was able to hear the sound of celebration coming from the end of the hall. It was faint at first but became louder as they came closer to their destination. 

Then they saw the double doors of the audience hall but they were closed. Two guards stood to either side of the entrance. The group approached them and their leader showed them the invitation... 

***

The audience hall was abuzz with activity. It rang with laughter and lively conversation with music coming from the gallery mingling with the present noise. Kegs of ale were brought from the wine cellar and Duke Logan made it his business to empty them. Chefs from the nearby kitchen continued to refill the buffet table seeing that one of their guests had a big appetite; a **_VERY _**big appetite. 

"Jeez, Barlow!" Devlin exclaimed as he saw his plump friend return from the buffet table with his fifteenth helping of food. "You'll clean out every main dish before the cake will be even cut!"

"Well, put it this way," Barlow mumbled with a mouth full of food, "at least none of this food will go to waste!"

As Devlin groaned, another conversation was taking place at Duke Zeira's table. Reyna fidgeted while the others of her group conversed. They had forbidden her to talk, lest the young Prince heard her voice and cried again. She couldn't understand why Alugard would cry whenever he heard her voice. Was her voice scratchy? High-pitched? Whiny? Well, whatever it was, the Prince didn't like it. Reyna just sighed as she poked at her food and listened to the conversation.

King Bastion and Queen Sadira were seated at the end of the audience hall, overlooking their guests. Alugard--now wide awake--sat on his mother's lap, clapping and laughing at all the people present. It seemed everyone was enjoying the party. But it needed some entertainment to liven things a bit. 

Bastion looked at Sadira and smirked. "So, are you ready to sing?" he asked her mischievously.

Sadira stared at him, mortified at the thought. She had hoped that Bastion would have forgotten but it seemed he remembered. "N-now?!" she stuttered as she thought of an excuse to get herself out of this situation.

"It's a perfect time as any," Bastion nodded. Before Sadira could protest, he stood up and was about to announce their little entertainment but stopped when he heard the doors to the audience hall squeak open.

The music stopped and all talking ceased as everyone stared at the portals. Bastion wondered if one of his guards brought an urgent message for him because it couldn't be any more guests for his party. Everyone that were expected to come had arrived. But perhaps he missed someone. 

The portals were fully opened by the two guards that were posted outside. They stood up straight with their backs against the doors. Bastion and the others watched as three figures wearing strange clothing emerged from the entryway. 

__

More guests?, Bastion thought curiously.

The three strangers walked forward while everyone watched in curiosity. The strangers then stopped before the raised platform where the King and Queen stood and bowed in unison. The man that led them then spoke.

"Sorry for arriving late, Your Majesty" he apologized. "We have traveled far to join in the celebration of Prince Alugard's first birthday."

Curious and a little puzzled, Bastion asked, "Who are you and where do you come from, stranger?" 

"I am Lord Yukio Toryu," the man replied. He then pointed to the old man to his left. "This is Commander Zaku, and this," he pointed to his right, "is Rea, my advisor. We come from the province of Ryuzoku of the Southern Alliance."

Translation Notes:

-sama: an honorific 

nani: what?

hai: yes, okay, alright

Author's Notes: Yes, it's strange to see Japanese culture integrated in this fic. The way I see it, ninjas originated from Japan so why not include that? I also see the Southern Alliance as being a diverse country so you can expect to see some other cultures integrated into this as well. There is a reason for this so just bear with me. 


	3. The Party

****

Chapter Two: The Party 

The audience hall was dead silent. Even Prince Alugard remained quiet. All present were shocked by their guests' country of origin. None of them had ever imagined that someone from the Southern Alliance would appear to the rest of the Continent. To the other leaders, the Southern Alliance was a quiet country, separate from the rest of the Continent. 

But now they looked upon three who came from that quiet country.

Lord Alden was more suspicious than surprised, however. His eyes were narrowed as he studied the three visitors. He thought that the young lady looked familiar but rejected the notion when he caught a glimpse of her cold expression. The old man seemed a bit nervous, perhaps because he came to a new country for the first time. Lord Yukio, however, looked as if he came among friends and that rang alarm bells in Lord Alden's head. 

But no alarms rang in Bastion's head. Only the silent sound of shock. "Th--the Southern Alliance!" the King exclaimed softly as he tried to recover from his shock. He remembered sending invitations to the six provinces of the Southern Alliance, but he didn't expect any of them to attend. And yet, the leader of one of the provinces stood before him.

The King then looked at his unexpected guests and smiled. "Welcome Lord Yukio, Commander Zaku, and Advisor Rea to the Pharastia Kingdom," he greeted. "It is an honor to have you here with us."

"The honor is all ours," Lord Yukio returned. He then motioned to Commander Zaku to present the pot to the King. "A gift," Lord Yukio commented as Commander Zaku climbed up the platform and presented the miniature tree with his head bowed and his arms extended holding the pot, "for the young Prince." 

"Thank you," Bastion said gratefully as he took the proffered gift. He found it strange, though, to be gifted a plant.

"The Bonsai Tree," Lord Yukio explained as though he could read the King's thoughts, "is a sign of prestige and honor in my part of the country. I hope you will take good care of it."

"Yes, of course," the King nodded then motioned to the tables. "Please, join us."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Lord Yukio said. The three guests bowed again before turning to find an empty table for themselves. 

The entire room seemed to hold its breath as every occupant watched the three visitors march to an empty table that bordered close to Duke Zeira's group. As soon as Lord Yukio and his companions sat down, the others did likewise.

Bastion motioned for the minstrels to resume playing as he sat down on his throne. A soothing tune flowed about the room as conversations resumed. He then heard a sigh to his side. "I haven't forgotten, you know," he told Sadira idly. 

Sadira gasped and turned to see Bastion grinning at her. 

The King turned back to look at his guests, still grinning. "I want our new guests to be comfortable first before we do anything else," he explained. "See? Look." He pointed at Andrew, who was making his way to Lord Yukio's table.

"Probably to get acquainted with the advisor," Sadira muttered as she watched Andrew. "It's typical of a womanizer like himself." She then stood up with Alugard in her arms. "I think I'll keep Marquis Dionne company seeing that Andrew is gone. And besides," she added as she began to walk down the few steps of the platform, "it's boring talking to you alone."

Bastion sighed as he watched his wife leave and join the Marquis at his table. Dionne seemed glad of the company. He grinned as he held Alugard as if the Prince was his own grandchild. Alugard smiled and giggled as Dionne bounced him on his knee.

Seeing that Sadira and Alugard were fine with Dionne, Bastion focused his attention on Andrew and the newcomers. And smiled when he saw that the all-knowing ninja was conversing with the guests.

***

Lord Yukio became cautious as he saw someone approach their table. From the corner of his eye, he saw Rea pulling a concealed tanto from her sleeve. "No," he said as he placed a hand about her wrist. "We didn't come here to fight. We came here for another reason or have you forgotten?" He looked at the young woman.

Rea stared at Lord Yukio for a few seconds then, grudgingly, placed the tanto back into her sleeve. 

Lord Yukio nodded and let go of her wrist. "You'll get your revenge soon enough," he said, "whatever it may be. Now do you tell me who is approaching?"

"That is Andrew," Rea replied, "Dionne-Lehve's best warrior. I must advise caution with this one. He is a ninja like us."

"Soo ka," Lord Yukio muttered in his native tongue. "He may be a ninja but he does not practice the old ways." He then became silent as Andrew reached their table.

"Hi!" the man greeted cheerfully. "You don't mind if I take a seat at your table, do you?" Before anyone could reply, he pulled out a chair and sat. "Let me introduce myself," the man resumed as he settled down. "My name's Andrew and I'm Marquis Dionne's right-hand man. I'm also a fellow ninja like yourselves."

If Lord Yukio was surprised at the declaration, he hid it well. Instead, he smiled and asked, "And how did you arrive at that conclusion?"

"Simple!" Andrew exclaimed. "By the way you guys walk. You didn't notice your silent footsteps as you made your way through the audience hall? And again as you made your way to this table? The room was completely silent like a graveyard! Only ninjas could move silently like that." 

"Impressive," Lord Yukio commended. "You're quite the observant fellow, Mister Andrew." _Very observant indeed_, he thought critically as he rubbed his chin. _You may be a threat to my plans. How shall I get rid of you?_

A brilliant idea suddenly came to mind as he pulled out a small bottle from his jacket. "Now, do you know what this is?" he asked Andrew with a smile.

Andrew stared at the small clay bottle that had a weird symbol written on the front. It was the first time that he saw that kind of writing and knew that he was at a disadvantage. He had no knowledge of these guests and assumed that neither did his guests have any knowledge of him. Both parties were treading dangerous ground here.

Andrew then shrugged. "It's a bottle," he replied. "That's not hard to see."

Lord Yukio smirked. "Commander?" he said as he continued to stare at Andrew.

Commander Zaku took out four tiny porcelain cups from his jacket and laid them on the table. Lord Yukio then poured the contents of the bottle into the cups. Andrew watched curiously as he wondered what the guests were up to. 

When Lord Yukio was finished pouring the contents into the cups, he passed one to Andrew. "Saké," he explained to the bewildered man. "A common alcoholic beverage in Ryuzoku. I don't know what type of beverages you serve in these parties but I could not part with my saké. Please, have a taste." With that said, Lord Yukio drank his in one gulp.

Andrew watched as the other two drank theirs as well in one gulp. Lord Yukio moved to refill all three of their cups. He then looked at Andrew with an inquisitive brow. "You have not drunk yours, Mister Andrew," he said. "I assure you it's not poisonous."

Andrew, not wanting to look like a fool especially in front of the beautiful advisor, held up his cup as if toasting the newcomers before downing the liquid. And sputtered as he felt the fiery liquid go down his throat. "Whoa!" Andrew exclaimed when he finally caught his breath. "That's some liquor you got there!"

Lord Yukio held up the bottle and asked innocently, "More?"

"Please!" Andrew replied enthusiastically as he held out his cup to the foreign man. 

Lord Yukio refilled Andrew's cup and the ninja swigged it in one shot. The ninja from Ryuzoku smiled in approval as he drank his as well followed by his two companions. 

Andrew smacked his lips and sighed as he sat back. "Saké," he repeated softly to himself. "What is it made of?" he asked as Lord Yukio refilled his tiny cup.

"Fermented rice and water," the Lord of Ryuzoku replied nonchalantly, grinning to himself as Andrew drank his third cup. _That's right, fool! Keep drinking_, he thought wickedly. _Soon you'll be too drunk to see straight!_

He refilled all four cups again and watched as Andrew eagerly drank his cup. Fortunately, his two companions had built a high tolerance of saké. Lord Yukio had made sure of that just in case something like this would to happen. Lord Yukio continued to refill Andrew's cup until the bottle was half full. 

After his twentieth cup, Andrew was becoming as loud as Duke Logan was at the other end of the room. "So, there I was in my Vedocorban, running low on energy," he blabbered, "when suddenly, this guy comes and whacks me on the head. I let the guy have it with my Somersault technique! You should have seen it! That'll teach the guy not to mess with the Andrew-nator!" 

Andrew calmed down somewhat after telling his heroic tale and stared vaguely at Rea. "You know," he uttered slowly as he held his cup towards Lord Yukio, who refilled it, "you look awfully familiar." He drank his cup and gave a sigh of satisfaction then continued staring at Rea. 

"I know!" he suddenly exclaimed. "You look like Milea, Bastion's adopted sister! If I'd known any better, you are Milea! So, you've been hiding in the Southern Alliance all this time, huh?"

On the outside, Advisor Rea looked like a confused guest but on the inside, she was surprised. _How can Andrew see through my disguise?_, she thought. _I guess being a dirty old man, he remembers every female he meets! Well, Andrew, your claim will go unaccounted for._

Rea then turned to Lord Yukio with that confused expression and said in a sweet voice, quite different from her regular voice, "Wakarimasen Toryu-sama."

"Daijoobu," Lord Yukio nodded then turned to Andrew, who now wore a confused expression. "Rea does not understand your tongue," he explained to the bewildered ninja. "You are mistaken to think that she is this Milea. I think the saké is beginning to cloud your senses, Mister Andrew."

"Hey!" Andrew protested as he groggily stood up. "I may be drunk, but I know a pretty face when I see one! And that one's Milea!"

"Are you implying that I'm lying, Mister Andrew?" Lord Yukio asked calmly as he slowly stood up, his hand on the scabbard of his sword. "I take that as an insult!"

"I'm telling you the truth!" Andrew objected as he angrily slapped the table, rocking it violently. All signs of his drunkenness were gone now, leaving an alert and very agitated Andrew. "I never forget a beautiful face especially one that was as beautiful as Milea's!" 

He then looked at Rea almost pleadingly. "Come on, Milea! Stop this nonsense! I can see right through your disguise!" he shouted loud enough for the whole room to hear.

At the mention of the King's long lost adopted sister, the room became silent once more. Everyone knew the story about Milea and how she had run away upon hearing Bastion's proposal to Sadira. No one had seen her since. 

"What is this about Milea, Andrew?" Galvas, who was seated at Duke Zeira's table, asked. 

"Can't you see?" the ninja replied then pointed at Rea. "That's Milea! I can never forget her face!" 

Lord Yukio watched as every eye turned to stare at his advisor. _This upstart is more troublesome than I thought!_, he mused silently as he tried to figure out a way to steer attention away from his table. _My plans will be ruined if they find out now!_

As these thoughts went through his head, Lord Alden considered the possibility that the advisor was truly Milea. He remembered that he had rejected the notion because of the woman's cold expression. But there was the possibility that she had turned bitter after that incident. "What do you think, Melior?" he asked his most trusted friend.

Melior remained silent as she collected her thoughts. Then: "She does resemble Milea but I highly doubt that it is she. Look at her. She looks confused as if she doesn't know what's going on."  


Lord Alden nodded. "You're right," he said. "It couldn't be her."

Similar conversations were taking place around the room. And all came to the same conclusion as Lord Alden and Melior.

That Rea wasn't Milea.

"Andrew," King Bastion began as he stood up from his throne. He had enough of these interruptions and would soon see them stopped. "I know you miss Milea," he continued and spread his arms, encompassing the whole room. "We all do. But it's impolite to assume that Advisor Rea is Milea. I believe you have insulted our guests with your assumption. Please apologize to them."

"But...!" Andrew began but Bastion's stare halted whatever argument he had in mind. Instead, he turned to the trio and muttered an apology. 

"It's quite alright," Lord Yukio smiled as he picked up the saké bottle and handed it to Andrew. "Take this as a sign of our renewed friendship, fellow ninja Andrew."

Andrew grinned, suddenly forgetting his little mishap. "Thanks!" he said gratefully as he snatched the bottle.

Seeing things were calmed down once again, Bastion sat down and the minstrels took that as a sign to start playing once again. The King sighed as he leaned against his chair. He then saw Sadira returning, but she was empty-handed.

"Where's Alugard?" Bastion asked as his wife took her seat next to him.

Sadira pointed towards the Emperor's table as she replied, "With uncle and the old hag." Bastion just nodded and both became silent. 

"I think it's time for some entertainment," Bastion suddenly voiced, "to stop these interruptions." He looked at Sadira and almost laughed at her expression. Her eyes were wide and her mouth slightly open in shock. "Don't worry," he reassured his wife. "You won't be singing...not yet anyway. But are you ready for a dance?"

"I guess it's better than singing," Sadira uttered. 

"Very well then," Bastion nodded then turned to the minstrels. "Play a waltz," he ordered them.

"As you wish, Your Highness," the conductor obliged before leading the orchestra in an upbeat waltz. 

Everyone in the room noticed the change of music and watched as the Royal couple climbed down the platform hand-in-hand. When they reached the floor, they bowed to each other before they began swaying to the music. 

"His dancing skill is as astounding as his fighting skill," Duke Zeira commented as he watched the King and Queen whirl about the floor. 

A similar comment was being made at Emperor Duyere's table, but it was about the Queen. "I guess all those dances at the military academy paid off," Franco remarked. "Sadira dances with grace."

"She's not the only one that can dance with grace," Arlene stated as she stood up holding Duyere's hand. "Come on, Duyere. Let's join them."

"B-but!" the Emperor protested as his wife dragged him out of his chair and unto the dance floor.

Halak let out a dry chuckle as she moved to get a better view for herself and her great-grandson, who sat on her lap. "Watch, little one," she said with a grin. "Stumble, your uncle will!" Alugard replied by clapping his hands and saying, "Hao, hao!"

Duyere, on the other hand, did not find this amusing. He knew that he was bad at dancing and that he would embarrass himself in front of the other leaders with his clumsiness. _Why me?_, he thought helplessly as he and his wife began to sway to the music.

Bastion smirked when he saw Duyere and Arlene join him and Sadira on the dance floor. "I see that my plan is working," he noted. 

"What plan?" Sadira asked curiously. 

Bastion twirled her around before replying, "For the others to join in our dance. Your brother and his wife are dancing with us now and perhaps the others will join too."

Sadira didn't hear the last part of the sentence as the first part was still ringing loudly in her head. "Did you say that Duyere is dancing?" she asked almost inaudibly.

"Yes," Bastion nodded. "Why?"

"I was afraid of that," groaned Sadira. "He's a dancing hazard. It's best if we dance far away unless you want to stumble along with him." 

"If you say so, Sadira," the King said as he led his wife away to the other side of the dance floor.

Duyere witnessed the King and Queen whirling away from him and his wife and sighed. _Sadira must have warned Bastion about my dancing skills_, he thought resignedly. Suddenly, he felt himself lose his balance. But Arlene caught her husband in time. Duyere smiled gratefully and the couple continued their dance.

At Duke Logan's table, Claire had been watching the dance with amusement. "It looks like Sadira totally improved on her dancing," she noted then smirked and added, "But she can never, like, outdance me! Come on, Shion! We're gonna, like, show Sadira how a real waltz is done!"

"As you wish, Claire," Shion obliged as he stood up, took Claire by the hand, and led her to the dancing floor, leaving a very drunken Duke Logan alone at the table.

Lord Yukio watched as another pair entered the dance floor. That made three couples dancing. He then heard a faint growl coming from his side. He turned to see Rea glaring at what seemed to be Bastion and Sadira. Her hand was tightly wrapped around the hilt of her hidden tanto, her knuckles white from lack of blood. 

Lord Yukio never saw her in such a state before. He had always perceived Rea as a cold woman that hid and controlled her emotions well. Too well. But now, here she was with the look of murder in her eyes. 

__

Is the Royal couple the source of this woman's anger?, he wondered. _Does she seek revenge against them for a wrong they did to her?_

Lord Yukio pondered the possibility. The woman did know the layout of the palace they were in; she had informed him of such. And she has knowledge of the other guests in the audience hall; more knowledge than he could ever procure. Lord Yukio rubbed his chin in thought as another question came to mind. Was she once close to the Royal family or to one of them?

He then heard a belch come from Andrew, who had decided to stay at their table even after his little mistake. He then thought back to that incident. Andrew had mistook Rea for a girl named Milea. Lord Yukio glimpsed at the woman next to him, who looked like she was about to spring from her seat.

"Calm down," he told her softly so the drunken ninja across from him couldn't hear. "Do you mind telling me why you are angry?" A glare was his only answer. "Very well," he said, "perhaps I'll glean some much needed information from our friend here."

Lord Yukio then turned to Andrew, who was happily gulping the rest of the contents of the saké bottle. "Mister Andrew," he called out to the drunken ninja.

Andrew looked up blearily and replied, "Huh?"

"I was wondering," Lord Yukio continued, catching a glimpse of another couple joining the dance, "why did you mistake Rea for this Milea?"

"Well," Andrew drawled, "she bearsh a re-mar-ka...ble reshemblench to her..." The ninja chuckled as he took another swig of his bottle.

"Who was she?" Lord Yukio asked, biding his patience. "What happened to her?"

"King Ba-shun's adopted shister." The ninja's speech was becoming impaired due to the saké's influence but Lord Yukio could still understand most of it. 

"Left," Andrew continued, "left be-cush Ba-shun married Sha-dira...three...yearsh a-go." The ninja was dismal to find his bottle empty of its contents. He looked at Lord Yukio with bloodshot eyes, pointed at the bottle, and asked, "More?"

Lord Yukio shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, but that was the only bottle I brought with me."

"Aw!" Andrew cried out in disappointment before he shakily stood up. "Might ash well go get ale..." 

As Andrew stumbled his way to the kegs, Lord Yukio mulled over the information the drunken ninja had given. "Three years ago," he muttered to himself. 

It was three years ago that his scouts had found that bright-colored ATAC--what was it called again?--Amphisia, wandering around his province. And the person who piloted it.

He looked again at the woman sitting next to him. "So your real name is Milea," he stated. Even though it wasn't a question, Rea nodded. 

"Then let me guess what your revenge is," Lord Yukio continued. "You loved Bastion more than as a brother. But instead, you were betrayed. You left because you couldn't stand the pain. And now you want to kill the cause of your hurt, your pain of betrayal." He looked at her again for any sign of confirming his story. 

Rea only continued to glare at the Royal couple, her tanto sliding out ever so slowly. 

"I guess it does," Lord Yukio observed. He then turned his attention back at the dancing couples and noticed one more couple had joined the dance floor raising the total to five couples.

The minstrels were now bringing the waltz to an end as they played the last measure of the song. As the waltz ended, each couple bowed to their partner before returning to their seats to the sound of applause from the others.

Emperor Duyere sighed, grateful to be off the dance floor. He had lost his balance more times than he could count but thanks to Arlene, he didn't fall once. "I think I should like to retire," he murmured as he drank a glass of water.

"Yes," his wife agreed. "It is getting pretty late."

At Duke Logan's table, there was a similar conversation. "I wonder when Bastion's, like, gonna end this little party," Claire wondered. "Dad's already out cold!"

"You're right," Shion nodded then saw the Queen stand. "I think Sadira is about to do something."

"She's probably gonna give a speech or something," Claire guessed.

But her guess was made wrong when the minstrels began playing an upbeat, yet, mellow tune.

Sadira glared at Bastion before facing her audience and began to sing in her rich voice:

__

To be free

how much anguish will you have to bear?

Sword in hand, swear on the dead

vengeance is soon to come.

Bastion smiled as he saw his guests' stunned expressions as Sadira sang. He had to admit that his wife's voice sounded very heavenly. 

__

Embrace light, 

choose the path of just nobility.

"I never knew Sadira could sing," Duyere mused as he listened.

Franco nodded. "She always sings Prince Alugard to sleep," he explained. "But the talent seemed to come naturally to her." 

__

Past the dark, 

there's a future bright and new,

if you just choose to see it.

Alugard's eyes began to droop as he yawned and snuggled deep in Halak's arms. The old woman rocked her great-grandson as they both listened to Sadira's song.

__

Beating within, the hope resides deep in your soul

Heed that emotion true

And believe there must be more.

Rea had slid her tanto further out when she saw the Queen standing alone. But as Sadira sang, her grip on the small blade loosened and she slid the knife back into its hidden scabbard. The lyrics to the song seemed to be reaching out to her, seemed to be awakening some hidden feeling she had buried deep in her heart.

__

Ahhhhh, there is a truth we must believe

To find the strength to follow through

Binding the fear within

as we press on toward the future-now.

The rest of the guests remained completely enthralled by Sadira's melodic voice, but there was one who was troubled by it.

Lord Yukio took a glimpse of his advisor and noticed that her expression had changed from hatred to something else. He also noticed that she no longer gripped her tanto. It seemed the song was reaching out to the girl's warmth that she had tucked away three years ago. 

This made Lord Yukio worried. If Rea were to return to being Milea, then he would lose his trump card. It was through the girl's knowledge of the other nations that he could effectively formulate his plans. To lose such knowledge would be disastrous. Even the two male prisoners did not harbor as much knowledge.

He would need to keep a close eye on her and if necessary, remind her of her vengeance. 

__

So, follow the voice within your soul

Leading you to that lofty goal.

Spreading your wings is just the start. 

All that you must do is free your heart.

The song ended and Sadira was showered with applause afterwards. The Queen hadn't expected such a reaction and so she only smiled shyly as she bowed slightly.

Bastion then stood up, beaming, as he stood next to his wife. "See?" he whispered to her. "Everyone enjoyed your song. Now it's time to bring this party to a close."

"But, Bastion," Sadira protested, "the cake--"

"Hasn't been cut yet," Bastion finished. "I know, but what's the point of cutting the cake when the celebrant is sleeping." He gestured towards Halak, who was rocking the sleeping Alugard.

Sadira nodded, seeing his point. 

The King then raised his arms to quell the applause that had not cease since the song had ended. "My friends," he began as soon as the applause had died down, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I must bring this party to a close. It is pretty late and I would like to find my bed."

Then there came a very loud snore from Duke Logan. Bastion chuckled. "I think Duke Logan agrees with me!" he exclaimed. The others laughed at his little joke. "You are welcomed to remain here at the palace until you feel the need to return home," the King continued. "The guest rooms have been furnished. Franco shall escort you to them."

And with that said, the Prince's birthday party came to a close.

***

The slender crescent moon stood high over the Royal Capital like an eye that watched sleepily, too tired to shed light. To compensate for the lack of light, huge braziers were burning at certain intervals around the palace. A night breeze rustled through the surrounding trees countering the babbling of the moat that surrounded the palace. The air was filled with chirping crickets and an occasional croak of a frog, the croak more akin to a whistle. The ATACs on duty stood at their posts, but were lax in keeping watch.

The leaders of the nations of the Continent were within palace walls, sleeping comfortably. And peace has ruled over the Continent for five years. They were safe and all was well.

Norugan was glad for the lack of light as he climbed the east wall that surrounded the palace. As long as he blended in with the shadows, he would not be seen making his task much easier. He finally climbed to the top and silently jumped down the other side, quickly pressing his back towards the wall to avoid detection.

The man saw the palace close by but knew that he had to cross the moat that ran around it. He carefully noted that a Barazaph ATAC was assigned to this area, but was not troubled by it, being very confident in his skills of stealth. 

He made a few calculations before sprinting silently for the moat. Norugan hid in a nearby brush as he pulled out a tube of bamboo. He then went to the moat that was full of water lilies. He took one, placed one end of the tube in his mouth, and entered the moat with the water lily above his head. He swam to the other side as he continued to remain hidden beneath the plant, breathing through the tube. 

When he reached the other side, he abandoned the plant and replaced the bamboo tube. He then pulled out the _kagi-nawa_, a climbing tool used to scale walls, bind captured foes, or to lay traps. Right now, he was going to use it to climb the wall that stood before him. Norugan swung it above him and climbed swiftly up the chain. He now overlooked the courtyard of the palace.

Norugan took note of the Ultragunner standing in the middle and two guards standing at the entrance to the palace. He walked along the wall to the north until he was facing the guards to the side. And his destination.

A balcony jutted out before him. He carefully threw his _kagi-nawa_ at the railing of the balcony and swung towards it, his momentum carrying towards and up until he landed on the railing itself. He looked down again at the courtyard before stepping onto the balcony. 

The glass doors was, of course, locked but Norugan found it easy to pick it. He carefully slipped inside and stared around.

There was very little light but his eyes adjusted well in the dark. He saw the King and Queen in each other's arms on the bed beneath the blankets, and the Prince in his cradle at the foot of the bed. All was sound asleep, pacified by the rowdy celebration. Norugan smiled and tiptoed his way to the cradle. He lifted the Prince gently, and when the child stirred, stroked a chubby cheek, the tuft of red hair. It was tempting to kill the Royal couple now, to feel their blood flowing hot between his fingers, but he resisted that, knowing their dying cries might give him away and earn the displeasure of his Master. So he only took the Prince and sneaked out. 

He hugged the child to him as he made his escape from the palace. Norugan smiled once he was outside the outer walls, carrying the Prince off to where his ATAC waited. 

Translation Notes:

tanto: a dagger

saké: (pronounced: sah-keh) an alcoholic beverage popular in Japan 

soo ka: I see, Is that so?

daijoobu: It's okay, That's alright, That's okay

wakarimasen: I don't understand 

Author's Note: Yeah, the song Sadira sang was from the game. I always pictured her singing it. And that, as they say, is that.


End file.
